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Mr Romanov Saviour of HMFC

Mr Romanov Saviour of HMFC

Can't search or I would've bumped the last one. I quite like a wee bit of banter about exercise, ken?

Just went and bought a weight bench from Argos (decent deal btw, the bench and 35kg of weights for ?50) and I've decided to start getting serious about getting in shape. I used to just lift weights now and again but now I've got the bench I've started a full body workout 3 times a week.

For those who are in to it ... how quickly should you be lifting heavier? Are we talking about adding weight every week or just when you feel the time is right?

Do you think it's worth doing a bit of jogging as well or just stick with the weights? Usually play fives once a week ... dunno if that's enough cardio.

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Konrad von Carstein

Konrad von Carstein

Can't search or I would've bumped the last one. I quite like a wee bit of banter about exercise, ken?

Just went and bought a weight bench from Argos (decent deal btw, the bench and 35kg of weights for ?50) and I've decided to start getting serious about getting in shape. I used to just lift weights now and again but now I've got the bench I've started a full body workout 3 times a week.

For those who are in to it ... how quickly should you be lifting heavier? Are we talking about adding weight every week or just when you feel the time is right?

Do you think it's worth doing a bit of jogging as well or just stick with the weights? Usually play fives once a week ... dunno if that's enough cardio.

Trainer in the gym told me, 3 reps of 15, last rep should be to failure but if you are managing 15 on the 3rd rep up your weight.

So 2 of 15 then you should always struggle for 15 on the last rep.

Cardio should be part of your regime always (I say that but I'm only looking for toning).

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Beats

Beats

3 weeks ago I went back to the gym after being away 6 weeks and putting on half a stone! I was on the treadmill but was getting really sore shins so I've manly been concentrating on the bike.Lost 4 pounds in 2 weeks.

Not been this week due to IBS! But enjoying it again.Boredom is a big thing with me.

Need to shift around 8 pounds to get to the weight I want but i'm getting there.

Sorry AP i can't answer your question about the weights but will be interested in what others have to say.I'm planning on doing the weights but i'm not sure if i should be doing them now or waiting?

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Mr Romanov Saviour of HMFC

Mr Romanov Saviour of HMFC

Weights are pretty good for weight loss as well, Beats. If yer getting sore shins then you need to sort your trainers out dude. Get yourself up to 'Run 4 It' in Lothian Road and they'll sort you out.

Cheers for the advance Konrad, I'm currently doing 3 reps of 10 and even then that's a bit of a struggle! Moved down a weight on one exercise yesterday out of curiousity and it was very easy when in the past it was a struggle so must be doing something right.

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Deek

Deek

But AP weights are not really about fitness. The heavier they are the heavier you will become (muscle bulk). As previously quoted, do some cardio. I spend 45 minutes each day(well 4 days a week)doing rowing, cycling, sit ups along with some weights, but nothing to heavy.

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Beats

Beats

Weights are pretty good for weight loss as well, Beats. If yer getting sore shins then you need to sort your trainers out dude. Get yourself up to 'Run 4 It' in Lothian Road and they'll sort you out.

Cheers for the advance Konrad, I'm currently doing 3 reps of 10 and even then that's a bit of a struggle! Moved down a weight on one exercise yesterday out of curiousity and it was very easy when in the past it was a struggle so must be doing something right.

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Konrad von Carstein

Konrad von Carstein

Weights are pretty good for weight loss as well, Beats. If yer getting sore shins then you need to sort your trainers out dude. Get yourself up to 'Run 4 It' in Lothian Road and they'll sort you out.

Cheers for the advance Konrad, I'm currently doing 3 reps of 10 and even then that's a bit of a struggle! Moved down a weight on one exercise yesterday out of curiousity and it was very easy when in the past it was a struggle so must be doing something right.

That's the thing AP, it has kinda stuck in my mind now, 3 sets, last to failure, if you manage 15 on the last, up the weight. It is also a good way to record and monitor your progress.

I say that as someone who has had a lapse these last 2 weeks for one reason or another

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scott_jambo

scott_jambo

Trainer in the gym told me, 3 reps of 15, last rep should be to failure but if you are managing 15 on the 3rd rep up your weight.

So 2 of 15 then you should always struggle for 15 on the last rep.

Cardio should be part of your regime always (I say that but I'm only looking for toning).

I assume you mean sets rather than reps in your first sentence.

AP, I could go on for ages about this, but the best peice of advice I can give you is that diet is key if you are looking to put on mass.

I start these threads every so often as I always think it would be good for motivation, but they fall off the 1st page after 2 or 3 days.

So 3 times a week is about right. With a carefully constructed program you can do it 4-5 times a week making sure your working different body groups but the other key thing to recognise is that it is during your rest periods that your muscles will grow, when your at the gym your breaking down tissue even if you feel or look more pumped it is when during your sleep that you will get the benefit so make sure you get healthy rest and eat 5-7 times throughout day with the correct diet rather than 3 meals a day which is the norm in this country.

The best thing to do is work different muscle groups each day so you are giving different muscles rest periods throughout the week to recover and ultimately grow.

Cant be bothered going into the training programmes just yet but when im at the gym here are some exercises I do:

I do light squats with barbell and weight to get the testosterone flowing round your bloodstream and your whole body ready for taking on weights.

I do 5 sets of 6-8 reps on the bench with the bench incline/declined in various positions.

I usually do chin ups,pull ups and dips. 3 sets of 6-8 reps each.

barbell curls I find best for doing bicep/tricep so I do bicep curl 4 sets of 10 reps.

then with barbell I do skullcrushers for tricep 4 sets of 10 reps.

then with dumbells I do hammer curls 5 sets of 8 reps

seated weighted rows to to target my back.

I also some days like to use the cables for different resistance for chest/arms etc...

To work the shoulders I usually do shrugs with heavy dumbells or weight plates. then I take light dumbells and lift them so my arms are 90 degrees to my body and do 3 sets of 10-12 reps of those.

Now, im sure I will get holes picked through this by proffesional personal trainers, and would welcome the thoughts of them and hopefully we can keep this thread running.

AP, in answer to when you think you should use heavier weights. rule of thumb for me is that if you are struggling on your last 3 then do those last 3 then do 2 more.

If you are finding it too easy with the weights you are doing just now then move it up. Also revisit it all every 4-6 weeks and see if their are any tweaks you want to make to what your doing if you dont feel like your making the gains you want.

Im a relative hard gainer so I was athletically built but now toned with a bit of muscle. work in progress - I dont use the bench at home often enough, basically because its in a cold garage with loads of spiders, but the barbell is useful for doing curls - just remember to work your triceps, its 2/3 of your arm - bicep is 1/3.

Editted the description of myself!**

Edited September 23, 2010 by scott_jambo

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Sierra Delta

Sierra Delta

Trying to lose a bit of weight and just generally get fitter. Was doing well over the summer and going to the gym pretty regularly but since I've started uni I've completely lost the motivation to go the gym meaning that I'm right back to square one again.

Using this thread for motivation, the new fitness plan starts tomorrow

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Mr Romanov Saviour of HMFC

Mr Romanov Saviour of HMFC

Great post Scotty Boy. I've made a real effort to try and improve my diet as I know that's the key. Dominating the eggs, tuna, chicken etc. Bevvy is my real downfall though but I'm not prepared to give that up (I might for a period some time soon if I'm getting somewhere).

Just now I'm doing

Squats or Deadlift (knee is knackered so squats are tough)

Bench press

Overhead military press

Upright row

Pull Ups

Barbell Curl

What sort of weight were you lifting when you started? I've never done bench presses before and I'm lifting 36kg at the moment which seems a bit pathetic!

Not really interested in getting big, would rather be lean and muscular if you know what I mean.

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Beats

Beats

Great post Scotty Boy. I've made a real effort to try and improve my diet as I know that's the key. Dominating the eggs, tuna, chicken etc. Bevvy is my real downfall though but I'm not prepared to give that up (I might for a period some time soon if I'm getting somewhere).

Just now I'm doing

Squats or Deadlift (knee is knackered so squats are tough)

Bench press

Overhead military press

Upright row

Pull Ups

Barbell Curl

What sort of weight were you lifting when you started? I've never done bench presses before and I'm lifting 36kg at the moment which seems a bit pathetic!

Not really interested in getting big, would rather be lean and muscular if you know what I mean.

After what you were posting last week about your hangovers I thought you were on the verge of kicking the drink for good

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scott_jambo

scott_jambo

Great post Scotty Boy. I've made a real effort to try and improve my diet as I know that's the key. Dominating the eggs, tuna, chicken etc. Bevvy is my real downfall though but I'm not prepared to give that up (I might for a period some time soon if I'm getting somewhere).

Just now I'm doing

Squats or Deadlift (knee is knackered so squats are tough)

Bench press

Overhead military press

Upright row

Pull Ups

Barbell Curl

What sort of weight were you lifting when you started? I've never done bench presses before and I'm lifting 36kg at the moment which seems a bit pathetic!

Not really interested in getting big, would rather be lean and muscular if you know what I mean.

Its good that you are doing compound exercises and not just trying to work a small muscle group into submission.

If you cant be arsed doing sqauts, combine them with your military press so that it is explosive. Then your legs and shoulders arms etc are working at the same time.

Sounds like your buying the right foods. Keep doing that plus buy nuts for snack at say 11am....huge amount of protein. Then have protein shake when you come in from work. then have one before you go to bed. (im guessing your training in the evenings).

I was benching around 40kg for doing 5 sets of 8 reps on a normal bench press when i firs started.

Now Im doing just over 60kg 5 sets 8 reps.

Dont know what I max out in, not really interested to be fair, usually go to the gym on me tod so dont have someone to spot me unless I ask someone there.

I am lean muscular by doing what I do, definitely not bulky at all. Sometimes wish I was! haha. but like I said im a relative hard gainer, so in the long run it works better because you look athletic without worrying about if you give up the gym you will become fat like what happens to some of the big guys in the gym that dont go as often.

You will improve your strength greatly the first 3-6 months and will prob be benching around 50, its just because your starting out and your not used to it that you cant do as much. When the plateu's hit - thats when its hard. Like Sten Guns said, you have to mix it up. A thing Im nae good at really.

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Mr Romanov Saviour of HMFC

Mr Romanov Saviour of HMFC

Beats, I was out last night mate. Hangover isn't too bad today thankfully!

Sten, good point about answering what your lifting. Something I'm going to have to learn is what order to do exercises in because I'm finding if I'm destroyed after pull ups which makes the rest of the session a real struggle. What order should I be doing them in or is it just a case of mixing it up?

How long do you guys rest for in between every exercise?

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japanjambo

japanjambo

I would like to lose about 8kg before christmas. Legs and stomach mostly. What's the best way to go about it? I need to get motivated! Go to the gym in Deans High School a couple of times a week, but doesn't seem to be working! It's very depressing! Help! Anybody do me some kind of programme for the legs and stomach? Would be very much appreciated.

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scott_jambo

scott_jambo

Beats, I was out last night mate. Hangover isn't too bad today thankfully!

Sten, good point about answering what your lifting. Something I'm going to have to learn is what order to do exercises in because I'm finding if I'm destroyed after pull ups which makes the rest of the session a real struggle. What order should I be doing them in or is it just a case of mixing it up?

How long do you guys rest for in between every exercise?

Mix it up, but if I was to go in and blast my whole upper body I would do.

Squats

Pull ups/chin ups/dips

Benching

Bicep exercises

Tricep exercises

Weighted Rows

Shoulder shrugs

Bicep again with light dumbells lots of reps (just so that you feel pumped)

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scott_jambo

scott_jambo

I would like to lose about 8kg before christmas. Legs and stomach mostly. What's the best way to go about it? I need to get motivated! Go to the gym in Deans High School a couple of times a week, but doesn't seem to be working! It's very depressing! Help! Anybody do me some kind of programme for the legs and stomach? Would be very much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Lynn

This is when we need our cardio experts in.

I would suggest you join a class for motivation and to see results. either a spinning class or any classes that the gym run, they really push you and get you sweating and its much more fun - i realise its intimidating at first though.

when not doing a class I would do 5 min warm up then 10 min cardio running/10 min cardio on a bike going fast as you can for 30 seconds then resting for 1 minute 30 and do this 5 times. (10 mins altogether)

Then go onto the weights and work your legs on them, doing lots of reps on lightish weights, but enough to feel that gradual burn.

then some sit ups with a 1kg or 2kg ballon your stomach. If thats too much then just do it without any ball, but if you can even manage 3 or 4 repeititons until you stop then that is fine.

*I am no cardio expert and have never had to lose weight before so pinch of salt time here*

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Sten Guns

Sten Guns

Beats, I was out last night mate. Hangover isn't too bad today thankfully!

Sten, good point about answering what your lifting. Something I'm going to have to learn is what order to do exercises in because I'm finding if I'm destroyed after pull ups which makes the rest of the session a real struggle. What order should I be doing them in or is it just a case of mixing it up?

How long do you guys rest for in between every exercise?

I tend to go with the heavier, harder, compound exercises first. Moving Towards the lighter, easier, isolation exercises at the end.

Rest, depends on my reps, if heavy, I will rest around 90 seconds, with 60 seconds for the lighter stuff.

It's those last few reps in each set, that really give you the results. Pushing yourself out your comfort zone. Which is why a spot is really helpful, or good music to get those last couple out. Also if your aiming for say 8 reps, don't stop there if it hasn't been a struggle. Go searching for what your really capable of. Otherwise results will stagnate and muscle memory will set in.

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Sten Guns

Sten Guns

I would like to lose about 8kg before christmas. Legs and stomach mostly. What's the best way to go about it? I need to get motivated! Go to the gym in Deans High School a couple of times a week, but doesn't seem to be working! It's very depressing! Help! Anybody do me some kind of programme for the legs and stomach? Would be very much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Lynn

Like Scott, I'm definitely no cardio expert!

I do cardio mainly to prevent excess fat gains and I have also never really had to shed much!

I know it sounds obvious, but diet is the real key, with cardio added. Some say diet is like 70% of the recipe for success!

Cut out eating sweets, crisps, fizzy juicy and take away, also cut carbs out after 5pm and exercise where possible, you would be amazed at the results.

That just stands for mon to fri in my book. Letting the hair down on the weekend is all good in my book!!!

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scott_jambo

scott_jambo

Do you feel like it's possible to get in shape while bevvying at the weekend?

I sometimes have a few pints during the week as well. Need to cut it out.

Personally Bevvying has never been a problem for me. Full of calories so if you are looking to lose weight then there are problems, but as long as you feel 100% when you step into the gym and can be at your optimum in your exercises then it shouldnt be a problem for becoming more muscular/toned.

I would say bevvying twice a week isnt a problem if your doing weight training as long as it doesnt interfere with your performance. I like to go to the gym on a Friday night - work my ass off then get lots of water and food into me, go for a shower and head out on the town for a drinking sesh. Feel less guilty that way and then you shouldnt really be going to the gym until Sunday night.

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scott_jambo

scott_jambo

If it's only a saturday night, and you follow the general 'rules' mon to fri, then I would say so!

As for the 'full body workout' suggestion. I disagree.

You can't possibly train every single muscle group effectively in one session!

You would only semi train each part, which is no good long term. Sure you might get a bit all round pump. But that's it.

Plus say you did spend hours hitting every body part in one session, you couldn't possibly do it every second day. Not enough rest.

I'm always sorest the second day after whatever muscle group I tagettted. Once a week on each body part, properly and effectively, is the way ahead!

Agreed in regarding to full body workout suggestion - it just doesnt make sense to semi train your whole body when you can target different muscle groups effectively each day.

AP, if you just have a bench and some dumbells at home I would suggest one day chest, one day arms/shoulders. Then go to the gym once a week to work back legs etc.. anything else just make use of the other facilities there.

PureGym is 16.99 a month so no one has an excuse not to join the gym! Thats about 4 pints i.e. one round in some George Street Establishments.

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japanjambo

japanjambo

Thanks for the info lads. I am heading to gym tomorrow morning. And I'm cutting out the snacks in between meals. I'm murder at sit ups, but will give it go and stick at it. I'm determined to have a real go at this, and I know within my self that I'd feel a lot better if I shed those kilos.

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Sten Guns

Sten Guns

Agreed in regarding to full body workout suggestion - it just doesnt make sense to semi train your whole body when you can target different muscle groups effectively each day.

AP, if you just have a bench and some dumbells at home I would suggest one day chest, one day arms/shoulders. Then go to the gym once a week to work back legs etc.. anything else just make use of the other facilities there.

PureGym is 16.99 a month so no one has an excuse not to join the gym! Thats about 4 pints i.e. one round in some George Street Establishments.

Few of the boys from Virgin all left for PureGym, I would too if parking wasn't an issue. Its dirt cheap!

You can get away with 3 or 4 days a week training. I spread it over 5 because I enjoy going, gives each muscle group a fresh day and if I didn't go to the gym after work I would be at home doing bugger all anyway. Plus it's good banter / something social.

But you can quite conceivably do a weeks gym in 3 / 4 days as triceps and biceps are tiny groups.

Compounds exercises work a variety of muscle groups, but it is primary and secondary - for example:

a military press works shoulders primarily, but it also works arms and back.

a bench press primary muscle is the chest, but it also hits the triceps secondary

So if I was going to target my chest on Monday I would do many compound chest exercises such as Incline bench press, decline press etc... but these are also working secondary groups such as triceps.

If on Wednesday I wanted to work my arms, part of my routine would involve skullcrushers for triceps and although I did compound bench presses for chest on the monday I was still working my triceps secondary, but their still fresh enough on the wednesday to get maximum potential on the wednesday.

Same with Friday, if I wanted to strengthen my back I would do Pull ups and seated rows but they both work secondary muscle group of the biceps. But your still targeting back primarily.

What you dont want to be doing and what the MH forum is probably saying is that you dont want to be doing isolated exercises such as dumbell curls on monday - leg curls on tuesday etc.. because you arent working your whole body everyday very isolated and no good.

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Sten Guns

Sten Guns

If you don't do full body workouts, please make sure to work your legs now and then. I see tonnes of guys at the gym with huge arms, chest etc but have skinny legs.

Yeah this is common. But an easy habit to get in to.

Guys tend to enjoy filling 't shirt muscles'.

I'm guilty of this myself at times.

I was squatting 120kg for 8 around 18 months ago. But I started getting really bad knee pain. It would stop me running for days. Sometimes couldn't walk right the next day. Got a family history of knee problems, my old man getting his replaced at only 50 for example. So had to knock it on the head. Not worth it...!

Resistance machines instead now. Which is a shame, squats are the king of exercises and my legs are certainly smaller than before.

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Ribble

Ribble

Was at pure gym for a while when it first opened and eventually stopped main reason being boredom and have instead been keeping my fitness up by cycling to work most days!

Now at the point of considering going back to puregym but will be only for the weights, think one thing that is key is mixing it up to stop the boredom so will continue cycling (will actually increase my cycling in a few weeks once I get my new bike through cyclescheme) and will also throw in swimming a couple of times a week! Also considering joining some form of martial arts class maybe once a week to further mix things up!